Apparatus for use in fitting together boxes of the slide and shell type



ly 3, 1929- w. E. MOLINS 1,722,229

. APPARATUS FOR USE IN FITTING TOGETHER BOXES OF THE SLIDE AND SHELLTYPE Filed Dec. 2. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 juiy 23, 192%. w. E. MOLINS3,722,229

v APPARATUS FOR USE IN FITTING TOGETHER BOXES OF THE SLIDE AND SHELLTYPE Filed Dec. 2. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VE N TOR w. E. MOLINS1,722,229 A ARATUS FOR USE IN FITTING TOGETHER BOXES OF THE SLIDE ANDSHELL TYPE Filed Dec. 2, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet a July 23, 1929,

//v VEN TOR Patented Jul 23, less.

UNITED WALTER EEET MOLINE, F DEP'IFORD, EONDON, is. f.- .i:

APPARATUS FOR USE IN FITTING TOGER some OF THE SLIDE =1- snnnr. m3.

Application filed December 2,1926, Serial No. 152,296, and in GreatBritain December 8, 1.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to-an apparatus forfitting together boxes of the slide and shell type and has for itsobject the provision of means whereby a shell may be opened from itscollapsed state so as to receive a loaded slide without the possibilityof the same fouling the shell.

The present invention consists of a device for use on a machine forassembling the slide to open the shell for the reception of a slide.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to theaccompanylng drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates in plan the layout ofa machine constructed to assemble the packets of the slide and shelltype.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one method of opening the collapsedshells.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation on the line A- -A. of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate details of the valve mechanism used inconjunction with the suction device illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 6illustrates mechanism adapted to feed the collapsed shells towards thesuction mechanism, and

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate in plan and elevation a modification oftheapparatus illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring to Fig. 1 the slides 2 are placed ina stack in a magazine 4which is arranged on one side of a conveyor 1 and comprises side members4, front members 5 and 6 and a bottom in the form of a reciprocatingtable 7. Thetable is reciprocated y means of an eccentric, driven fromthe main drive of the .machine in the manner described in U. S.

Patent No. 1,473,496. At the rear-edge of the table is .a pusher tooth12 which passes through an opening to the back member 6 and upon themovement of the table moves one slide at a time from the bottom of thestack to a pair of continunsly rotating rollers passes to a further pairof rotating rollers 15 In this with cigarwhich deliver it on to theconve or. position the slide may be fille etts in the manner describedin U. S. Patent No. 1,188,368. In Fig. 1 a machine is illustrated with abatch of cigarettes delivered on to the slide 20, with a succeedingbatch 21 located on a conveyor 16 which moves the cigarettes towards theconveyor 1.

When the loaded slide 20 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 thecross piece 1 mounted on the conveyor 1, makes contact with therearwardly directed upward edge of the slide and carries the samethrough an L shaped channel 22 and suitably curved plates 24 which foldup the two end pieces 25 of the slide approximately into a verticalposition and thereafter bends the said ends into approximately ahorizontal position ready for the slide to be inserted in an 0 en shell.The slide so folded is then carried y the conveyor into the position forinsertion into a shell.

The collapsed shells B are stacked in a magazine 27 on the same side ofthe machine as the slide magazine. The magazine 27 is of a similarconstruction to the slide magazine and is provided with a smallreciprocating bottom and pusher tooth for feeding the lowermostcollapsed shell between continuously rotating rollers 28. The rollers 28pass-the shell between a continuously rotating sector 29 (Fig. 6) andone edge of the shell engages with an arm 30 pivoted at 31 and pressedinto engagement with the shell by a cam 32 engaging with a finger 33 onthe arm 30. The action of the sector 29 and the arm 30 causes the shellto be moved into a position inclined to the direction of the conveyor 1.The shell is moved into the inclined position against a guide stop 33'above a suction element 34 which is connected to a suction pump (notshown) through the valve mechanism illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Thevalve mechanism illustrated" in Figs. 4 and 5 is controlled by a cam 35operable from the main drive of the machine and timed so as to bring thesuction element 34 into operation when the shell is correctly disposedabove the same.

=- Referringto Figure 1, it will be seenthat the shell is moved into anoblique position so that when it is opened the mouth of the same 1 willlie transverse tothe path of the on-com-- ing loaded slide, whereuponpart of the slide 3 enters the-mouth of the shell in the manner are."illustrated in Figure 2without 'necessitat .a transverse movement ofeither the shell or;

13 which feed the slide between suitably 'curveol-dplates 14 which bendupithelongitu gas of the slide, after which the slide ment 36 is alsothe slide, and without requiring that the slide cease" its steadyforward movement. After the parts are positioned as shown in Figure 2,the slide carries the shell forwardly and the same is automaticallyinserted over the slide by mechanism which forms no part of the presentinvention. It is an important feature of this invention that there isimparted to' the loaded slide a steady forward movement incontradistinction to the usual step by step movement in devicesheretofore known,

When the suction element 34 comes into operation an upper movablesuction elerought into operation and engages with the upper broad sideof the shell and adheres to the same due to the action of the valvemechanism hereinbefore described. After the upper suction element hasbeen brought into operation a bell-crapk lever 37 operable by cam 38driven from the main drive of the machine rocks the lever "39 to causethe s indle 41 to rotate about its axis. Secured ast to the spindle 41is a link 42 which is connected to the arm 43 which carries the suctionelement 36. On the upward movement of the link 42, the arm 43 1s movedupwardly and carries with it the upper broad side of the collapsedshell. The arm 43 is preferably connected to link 44 which is similar tothe link 42 and ensures that the arm 43 is given a parallel motion. Thefree end of the lever 39 is connected to a ring which, when the cam 38has raised t e arm 43 into its highest position, tends to draw thesaidarm downwardly.

When the cam has caused the shell to be opened out into its maximumposition the valve controlling the suction members is opened and thesuction members become inoperative. After, the suction members arereleased the cam 38 tends to raise the arm 43 still further, but due tothe fact that the end of the arm 43 which is connected to the link 44 isfixed and the intermediate point which is connected to the link 42 issecured thereto throu h a spring connection 45, the arm 43 is ed aboutthe pivotal connection between it and the link 44 and the suctionelement 36 is raised above the upper surface of the shell so as not tointerfere therewith as the slide and shell are removed by the conve or1.

vided with an adjustable sto coming slide will be easily inserted intothe shell. The shell and the slide are thereafter assembled in themanner described in U. S. Patent No. 1,47 3,496 and the assembledpackcontinuation of the lower broad side when the shell is in thecollapsed state. The suction element 34 is adapted to dra the shell uponthe bed of the machinealong the entire line which constitutes thejunction between it and the adjacent wall and thereby removes any bowthat may exist upon the underside of the shell.

- Mounted above the lower suction element 34 is a plunger 50 connectedto links similar to those described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3, sothat when the plunger is depressed it presses upon the upper surface ofthe collapsed shell and also permits a hook shaped projection 51 toengage with that narrow side wall of the shell which lies flush with thelower broad side of the shell. 1

The projection 51 on the end of the lunger 50 engages with the narrowside wal of the shell and swings the same upwardly about the junctionline until the two narrow side walls of the shell are located at rightangles to the lower broad side of the shell.

When the shell is in this position, the formost corner of the advancingslide enters the inside edge of the shell and together with the conveyor1, the slide and shell are moved forwardly and the slide and shellassembled in the manner described in U. S. Patent No. 1,473,496.

What I claim as m invention and desire to secure by Letters atent is 1.A device for use on a machine for assembling the slide and shell ofaslide and shell packet which comprises in combination means for feedingcollapsed shells one at a time from a pile, means adapted to impede themovement of one side of the shell relatively to the other, a suctionelement adapted to draw" upon the b oad under-side of the shell so as toretain the same upon the bed of the machine in the desired position forthe insertion of a slide and a second suction element adapted to engagewith the other broad side of the shell and operable in conjunction withsaid first suction element and independent of any lateral abutmentlocated on or adjacent to the bed of the machine to open completely theshell for the reception 0 a slide.

2. A. device for use on machine for as sembling the slide and shell. ofa slide and shell packet which comprises for feedbroad underside andalon ing colla means a apted to feed one side of the shell forwardlywhile the other is impeded, a suction element adapted to apply pressureto the a line adjacent the junction line between t c said broadunder-side of the shell and one narrow side thereof, and an elementadapted to engage with one other side of the shel so as to swing thesame about the junction line between the broad end panel and the nextadjacent narrow panel of the shell.

3. A device for use on a machine for assembling th slide and shell of aslide and shell packet which comprises means for feeding colla sedshells one at a time from a ile,

' means a apted to feed one side of the s ell forwardly whilethe otheris impeded, a suction element adapted to apply pressure to the broadunderside and alon a line adjacent the junction line between the saidbroad under-side of the shell and one narrow side thefreof, and a secondsuction element movable: into engagement with the upper broad side ofthe shell and movable away from the lower element to o n the shell andbow the upper face thereo 4. A device for use on a machine forassembling the slide and shell of a sed shells one at a time from apile,

. slide and shell packet which comprises means for feedcollapsed shellsone at a time from 8. p1 e, means adapted to feed one side of the shellforwardly while the other is impeded, a suction element adapted to applypressure to the broad underside and along a line adjacent the 'unctionline between the said broad under-si e of the shell and one narrow sidethereof, a second suction element movable into engagement with the upperbroad side of the s ell and movable away from the lower element to openthe shell and bow the upper face thereof, and a stop adapted to depressat least one corner of that end of the 0 en shell which is locatedadjacent to the a vancing slide so as to ensure that the lower broadface or a portion thereof lies flush with the advancing slide.

5. In apparatus for feeding articles, the combination with a rotatablesector for engaging and feeding articles forwardly, of a pivotedelement, and means for periodically moving said element into engagementwith a moving article adjacent one side thereof, whereby the forwardmovement of the enga ed side is retarded for rotating the artic e intoan inclined position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

WALTER EVERETT MoLINs.

